Pick Up the Phone
I recently reviewed a draft of a negotiation script from a student. She did a fantastic job incorporating the key elements of the collaborative outcomes approach — but the last line gave me pause:
“Thank you for reviewing this email and I hope we can find some time to discuss this matter further.”
As much as I recommend advocating for more, I don’t recommend advocating for more over email.
While email may appear to be the best way to deliver your carefully-worded script without succumbing to nerves, I strongly recommend having this important conversation in person or via a phone or video-chat for a few reasons:
Proper tone and intention
You have a lot more control conveying the right tone and attitude when having a conversation. Email runs the risk of masking your positive intention, respect, and goodwill.
Email is inherently reactive
Depending on the mood or overall situation, your decision maker may interpret your email the wrong way or lack the time to thoughtfully consider your request. Securing a meeting allows you to gauge the other party’s reaction and respond accordingly.
Your ask is a starting point
After presenting your ask, you can expect some back and forth as both parties make sense of the terms of the request. With the situation in flux, it’s more effective (and a lot less tedious) to hash out the details in person or on the phone before committing anything to writing.
It’s personal
This is not just a conversation about numbers - negotiations reflect your value and self-worth. For such a personal topic, I prefer discussing my request 1:1 with the decision maker in a trusted environment and not risk having my initial email forwarded, shared, or leaked without my permission.
Invest in the long-term
In a professional setting, your goal is to reach an agreement with an individual you may hope to have a positive and long-term relationship with. By arranging a meeting with the decision maker, you are signaling that you feel comfortable sharing your aspirations and even discussing complex matters. When the other party is treated like a valued and trusted ally, they also feel invested in your career growth and success.
Email is a perfectly convenient and efficient way to set up time with the decision maker to conduct a negotiation — e.g. “I value your input and wanted to see if we could find some time to chat about my career growth.” Or the other party may use email to send you information related to an opportunity, in which case you can kindly acknowledge receipt of the email and request time to meet in order to discuss the details. But after you complete the required research and prep, your best bet is to pick up the phone or get in the room (or the zoom) and advocate for more.